Friedrich Daniel Rudolph Kuhlau was born on September 11, 1786, in Uelzen, and
was a German- Danish composer who lost his right eye in a childhood accident. He
studied under Christian Friedrich Gottlieb Schwencke in Hamburg before fleeing
to Copenhagen in 1810 to avoid French conscription. After the successful
premieres of his operas Die Räuberburg and Elisa, he was appointed Royal Court
Composer in 1818. He composed numerous operas, vocal works, instrumental pieces,
and piano compositions. He is particularly remembered for his pedagogical
sonatinas, which remain widely valued as...